Speaking with relatives about family history, I am often told to keep this piece of information between you, me and the gate post. Respecting sensibilities, I will share my family stories entwine with historical events from Copiah, Jefferson and Lincoln Counties, Mississippi, from gate post to gate post.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Recently, I started working on the Calcote family of Lincoln County, MS. A group of my cousins descend from Willis Richard Calcote born about 1868, and his wife Mary Cook. Willis and his wife had several children including a son, Daniel Calcote, who married Dora Hudson, daughter of Lincoln and Emma Johnson Hudson.

The public library in Brookhaven, MS, has a nice collection of old photographs taken by John H Williams. I like looking through the boxes of photographs and from their Flickr page where the pictures are being scanned.

The copy of the photo was made for Minnie Hudson Calcote. A note was added to the picture from Molly Carruth Mandel who identified the picture as Dora Calcote, via Minnie's daughter Carrie Lee Calcote Magee. Minnie was Dora's sister; Minnie married Richard Calcote, Jr., who was also a son of Willis and Mary.

Daniel and Dora's children were Lucille, Ada, Ernest, Daniel, Jr., and Louis. In Oct 1929, Dora gave birth to a stillborn daughter. Dora died less than a year later, 22 Jul 1930.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

This photograph was found among the Thomas Foner Freedom Summer Papers. Thomas Foner worked as a volunteer with the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project in 1964. The collection documents his work with the project and contains substantial information about the conditions faced by volunteers during the summer.

Waiting on a porch for a ride was a common scene in my Mississippi neighborhood. Was she a participant, supporter in the Civil Rights Movement? Was she going to church, a funeral, a mass meeting? Was she on her way to visit family? Where is she going?

Monday, September 9, 2013

The memorial was dedicated on October 26, 1906. There are forty-seven steps in the long stairway, one for each day of the Siege of Vicksburg. Modeled after the Roman Pantheon, the monument has sixty unique bronze tablets lining its interior walls, naming all 36,325 Illinois soldiers who participated in the Vicksburg Campaign. The monument stands sixty-two feet in height, and originally cost $194,423.92, paid by the state of Illinois.

The first time I visited the Vicksburg National Military Park I was in elementary school. I think I was fourth grade on a school field trip. I remember from that visit the long rows of white crosses in the cemetery and the Illinois Memorial.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Mrs. Priscilla Culver Humphrey, daughter of the late Mr. Sol and Francis Prenell Culver was born February 24, 1895 in Franklin County.

She confessed Christianity at an early age and united with the Galilee A. M. E. Church, and served faithfully. She later moved her membership to Triumph Church where she served faithfully. She was married to the late Mr. John Humphrey.

She departed this life July 4 1987 in King Daughter's Hospital, Brookhaven, MS. She leaves to mourn her passing a loving daughter, Sally Robinson, one son Rufus Humphrey, both of Brookhaven, MS. One stepson, Luther Humphrey of Homestead Florida. One son preceded her in death. Thirteen grandchildren, thirty-nine great grandchildren, one sister Sara Effern, three daughter-in-laws Cloratee Humphrey, Ada Humphrey, Rose M. Humphrey, two brother-in-law Willie Humphrey, Phillip Wesley, two sister-in-law Allie Mae Humphries and Alice Wesley. A host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

This is the Shirley's House, also known as the White House, during the siege of Vicksburg, 1863. The house was built during the 1830s for northern born James and Adeline Shirley. The couple's three children were born in Vicksburg, and the family had twenty five slaves.

On May 18, 1863, as the Confederate rear guard fell back into the Vicksburg defenses, soldiers were ordered to burn all the houses in front of their works. The Shirley barns and outbuildings were quickly burned to the ground, but the soldier assigned to destroy the house was shot before he could apply the torch.

Mrs Shirley, her 15-year-old son Quincy, and several servants, were caught in the cross-fire as Union soldiers approached Vicksburg. Fearing for their lives, they remained in the house huddled in a chimney corner for three days before Mrs Shirley tied a sheet to a broom handle and had it placed on the upper front porch. The frightened occupants of the "white house" were finally removed by Union soldiers and given shelter in a cave.

When the siege ended, the Shirley house was badly damaged and abandoned. The house and sixty acres were sold to the United States government in 1900 by the couple's daughter Alice who insisted her parents be buried behind the house.

Monday, September 2, 2013

My father's first job as a married man was working in the logging industry. The work was hard and the pay low, so, he left logging. This page is dedicated to all laborers: those who labor for no money, those who labor and are paid too little for the job they do, those who are overpaid, and to those whose money work for them.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Mrs. Rosie Anna Thomas Markham was born in Lincoln County, Mississippi, August 20 1899. She was the daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs Alex Thomas.

She became a member of Zion Chapel AME Church at an early age.

In 1922, she was married to Mr. Samuel D. Markham - to this union three children were born, one son, and two daughters.

She departed this life on Saturday, - February 5, 1966 at 1:30 AM at the King's Daughters Hospital. She leaves to mourn her passing - a husband, two daughters, one son, six brothers, four sisters, eight grandchildren, and a host of relatives and friends.

Grandbundle's Corner

About Me

A member of the sandwich generation taking care of an adult daughter and mother, both with brain disorders. I love genealogy and consider myself a community researcher. Researching the communities of Caseyville, Hazlehurst and Union Church, Mississippi, and wherever else we rooted.

Spring Beauties

Mother to Son

Well, son, I'll tell you:Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.Its had tacks in it,And splinters,And boards torn up,And places with no carpet on the floor---Bare.But all the timeI'se been a-climbin' on,And reachin' landin's,And turnin' cornersAnd sometimes goin' in the darkWhere there ain't been no light.So boy, don't you turn back.Don't you set down on the steps"Cause you finds it's kinder hard.Don't you fall now---For I'se still goin', honey,I'se still climbin',And life for me ain't been no crystal stair